EastEnders' executive producer has revealed how they used a real life case as inspiration for Kathy Beale's return.

Kathy's return is one of the biggest story lines the show has seen this year.

Viewers last saw her "die" in a car accident in South Africa in 2006.

However, it's later revealed she faked her death as part of an insurance scam and has now returned from the dead.

Talking about her return and how they crafted the storyline to support it, Dominic Treadwell-Collins said: "I t's not going to be easy for Kathy to come back, which is something we were very clear about from the beginning."

"She's officially dead so her return couldn't be easy."

He revealed that writers used the John Darwin case as research and try to ground each storyline for the show in reality.

"We make sure each story is rooted in reality - it's the canoe man story - so we make sure it happened in real life," he said, "We wouldn't have done it if it wasn't credible."

The Darwin case revealed the fake death of former teacher and prison officer Darwin, who was believed to have died in a canoeing accident.

Five years after his supposed death he was found to be alive, and it was revealed he and his wife had faked his death as part of a life insurance scam.

So far viewers are waiting to see how Kathy's return (played by Gillian Taylforth) is going to rock Albert Square.

Teasing the rest of the big story lines set to unfold this year, Treadwell-Collins hinted saying: "I t's a big bumpy ride between now and Christmas and there are lots of shocks in store so keep watching."